Joshua Van Silences Doubters, Retains Belt vs. Pantoja
Joshua Van retained the UFC flyweight title over Alexandre Pantoja by decision at UFC 331, settling their rematch.
This article was generated with AI assistance and reviewed by our editorial team.
Joshua Van answered every question about his first win over Alexandre Pantoja by beating him again, this time over five full rounds, to retain the UFC flyweight title by unanimous decision at UFC 331 on Saturday night at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
The scorecards read 49-46, 48-47 and 50-45, with one judge somehow seeing the fight as a near shutout despite Pantoja pressing forward for 25 minutes. Van had to survive an aggressive opening round before he started timing Pantoja's entries and picking him apart with cleaner striking down the stretch. It was Van's second successful title defense and it erased any lingering argument that his first win over Pantoja back in December did not count.
Why This Rematch Mattered So Much
Van's first meeting with Pantoja at UFC 323 ended in bizarre fashion, with Pantoja suffering an arm injury just 26 seconds into the fight and the title changing hands almost by accident. That left Van's status as champion under a cloud even after he backed it up with a fifth-round knockout of Tatsuro Taira in his first defense at UFC 328. A full five-round fight against the same man he beat in seconds was the only way to truly settle it, and Van did just that, becoming the second-youngest champion in UFC history behind Jon Jones when he first won the belt and now stamping that reign as legitimate.
Pantoja, who came in off a dominant run that included a split decision over Brandon Moreno for the title and four straight defenses against Kai Kara-France, Kai Asakura, Steve Erceg and Brandon Royval, could not find the finish he needed. He landed some sharp muay thai knees along the way, but Van's output and accuracy piled up on the cards. The loss drops Pantoja to back-to-back defeats for the first time in his UFC flyweight run and pushes him further from an immediate third crack at the belt.
Betting Angle
Van went off as a modest favorite in the range of -130 to -162 depending on the book, with Pantoja getting plus money as the live underdog looking for a finish. That number reflected real respect for Pantoja's championship pedigree rather than confidence in Van, and it showed early when Pantoja took the first round on more than one scorecard. But bettors who backed Van to grow into the fight as the rounds piled up got exactly that, and the wide 50-45 card is a reminder that live dogs who cannot finish early against a champion who improves round over round are a tough investment. Anyone holding futures on Van as flyweight champion just saw his stock solidify, while Pantoja's path back to a title shot now runs through a full resume rebuild rather than a quick turnaround.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won Joshua Van vs. Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 331?
Joshua Van defeated Alexandre Pantoja by unanimous decision at UFC 331, with scores of 49-46, 48-47 and 50-45, to retain the UFC flyweight title.
Why did Joshua Van and Alexandre Pantoja fight twice?
Their first fight at UFC 323 ended in seconds when Pantoja suffered an arm injury, so the UFC 331 rematch was booked to settle the flyweight title on full merit.
What is Joshua Van's title defense record after UFC 331?
The win over Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 331 marked Joshua Van's second successful defense of the UFC flyweight title, following a fifth-round knockout of Tatsuro Taira at UFC 328.
